Manakanda Archaeological Site and Eco-Park

Manewakanda is an isolated hill 378 m (1,240.16 ft. amsl) in height and its forest spreads of about 325 ha. (UNDP, 2015). The upper parts of this hill forest represent  MMEF (Moist  Mixed  Evergreen  Forest) environment (UNDP, 2015). The area receives an average annual precipitation of about 1,000-1,500 mm (Perera, 2012). 

 

Ruined monuments of an ancient Buddhist monastery are found on the eastern slopes of the Manewakanda (Wikramagamage, 2004). They include a Janthaghara, image house, flight of steps, Bodhighara, Padhanaghara, mounds of Stupas, ponds and other monuments. Of these ruins, the buildings known as Padhanaghara are considered an important feature of this site.

 

Padhanaghara, also known as Patanagala or Piyangala, is a special type of monastery built for the Bhikkhus (Buddhist monks) who devoted themselves to meditation involving minimum comforts. They are usually constructed in places situated outside the main areas of monastic and secular buildings. During the latter part of the Anuradhapura Period, Padhanagharas became popular and developed into large-scale complexes. Examples of this type of monasteries are found at the places such as Arankele, Ritigala, Nuvaragalkanda, Veherabendigala, and Western Monasteries etc. (Bandaranayake, 1990).


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